Water
by Nobuko89
Summary: Chuck is temporary disowned and moves in with Vanessa. Chuck/Vanessa, Nate/Blair and implied Dan/Vanessa.
1. Home Sweet Home

**Water**

Summary: "I´m sorry, does it hurt?" she asked unable to help feeling concerned. "No, it feels fantastic" He said between clenched teeth "I was hoping you would burn my other hand you know, double the fun."

Chuck is disowned and moves in with Vanessa. A.U. pairings: C/V N/B D/V

Author`s Note: This fan fic is based both in the book and the series characters.

**Chapter one: Home Sweet Home **

i

The sound of footsteps made Vanessa aware of Dan´s arrival, yet she didn´t lift her gaze from the book. She was mad at him, well not so much but he didn´t know that. And she sure as hell wasn´t going to be the first one to talk. They´d had quite an argument over the phone, and though she did understand his concern over Serena and Blair´s latest fight, (his devoted love for the blonde was so obvious he might as well write it all over his face) but it still hurt to be left dateless at the proyection of her very first short, which was tonight.

Not so far behind her, the tinkly rustling of bottles made her realize joyly that that wouldn´t be the case anymore. Dan had come, four hours earlier but maybe he needed to talk about Serena or something had come up. She ignored his fake coughs and remained staring at her book, even though she was reading for the third time the same paragraph.

Dan exhaled loudly, she grinned he always did that when he felt guilty and was about to give one of his long and barely articulated apologies.

"What are you doing here?"

Vanessa´s smile dissapeared at the sound of that voice. That condescending, breathy voice. She turned slowly, still struck by desbelief. "Chuck Bass"

"Yeah, I know what my name is. Now if you would please answer my question. And quiet ogling me, It´s disturbing."

Vanessa closed her eyes, willing the mirage to go away. Had she wanted for Dan to reevaluate his priorities and come to her so much her mind had overdrived to insanity? The scene in front of her could be nothing more than a delusion besides Ruby had told her this mornings that her breakfast blueberry muffin looked weird.

Or maybe she was still dreaming, still in bed and the past months had been nothing but a creative and long dream. Maybe she would wake up to find her best (only) friend hadn´t deserted her in order to help his UES girlfriend pick a new "it" dress because said UES girlrfriend´s best friend had stolen and sabotaged all her "it" cocktail gowns.

Vanessa shook her head in dissaproval, there was something horrendously wrong with those girls. She wondered (hoped) , not for the first time, if Dan wasn´t mistaking infatuation for love.

_"My best story will be about you and me, V. Then after I get famous you´ll direct the movie and we´ll travel around the world and find a lorax. But before we get married you´ll have to learn how to make blueberry muffins, so you can cook and clean for me and if you get other´s boy attention I´ll have to lock you in a basement... ouch, no wait Vanessa stop throwing snowballs at me. I´m trying to prosose here!... Jenny stop laughing... Fine, I´ll let you out once a week... What? I´m making an effort... Well, at least admit it was funny, the whole wife slash maid deal not the us getting married part, that I meant. In fact V I think we should engage now, Cedric can be my best man and... Ok, mouth shut, but you can´t avoid our lifetime commintment forever V. We´re meant for each other..."_

Vanessa let out an involuntary light laugh. Too deep into her memories, where she wasn´t hurt or dissapointed, to actually remember she had company.

"Are you stoned?" Said company mocked, and he was right to mock. She looked ridiculous standing less than ten feets away from him with her eyes shut and the book she had previously been holding now laying at her feet.

"I wish" She regained her composture quickly, Chuck glared at her and she remembered why encountering Chuck Bass on a thursday noon in the speakeasy he had bought (saved) was so astonishing.

Chuck Bass was still wearing pijamas and flip flops, and looking damn nonchalat about it.

"What are you doing here?" Vanessa asked, conveniently ignoring the fact that Chuck had asked her the same question a few minutes ago.

"Bart kicked me out of the penthouse for disobeying him, I can´t move to my suite because I sold it so I could buy this place and Bart cut off all of my bank accounts. This is everything I own now." he stated indifferently as he poured scotch into his glass and downed it in one go.

Only to have another...

And another...

That much amount of alcohol could not be healthy.

Vanessa didn´t care about Chuck Bass, he was just another trust fund jerk who liked to play with everyone at arm reach like they meant nothing. He had played with her, damaging her ability to trust people, he had humilliated Dan and attacked Jenny. Chuck Bass was scum and he didn´t deserve Vanessa´s help.

But she approached him anyway and sat in front of him, because even though he was the poster child of everything she loathed, he had saved the speakeasy, maybe he´d done it to piss off Blair, maybe he always kept his word. All in all to her it didn´t matter, she owed him and only because of that she would try to help him.

"So... perhaps if you explained to your fa-"

"He said that only if I turned this bar into a rentable bussiness he would take me back. Meanwhile I´m disowned."

"Ah hu..mmm...I don´t know how to say this, but you can´t stay here."

"I own this place I can do whatever I want" Chuck replied haughtily.

Vanessa really tried not to enjoy the moment to much, "Yes, you do. And you the wise owner already ordered the bar to be fumigated. So if you want to sleep next to dead rats and cockroachs be my guest."

Chuck´s face fell and all mirth and cockiness faded. Emotion´s he had never experienced before took over him: fear, desperation and regret. He had nowhere to go, no money and last time he checked no friends.

It must have shown on his face because the girl sitting across him flashed a sympathetic smile at him and he scowled (Chuck Bass hated simpathy) before she stood up and left the table. He barely registered Vanessa talking to someone. He was alone, he´d never been alone. Money always brought the attention and company his personality often drove away.

Should he apologize to his father, admit making a mist-

No, he wasn´t wrong. The bar would be a smashing success and then Bart would have to accept Chuck´s abilities for bussiness. He could borrow some money from Eric or maybe pawn some of...

"Ummm, Chuck" Vanessa hesitated. This was so very wrong. Hell would freeze over before she finished the next sentence. "The guys from the fumigation company are already here. And ...ummm... if you have no other place to go" Even though his dead-like expression screamed he didn´t Vanessa internally hoped that he had a brothel or somehing where he could crash. "You can stay at my place, I just called my sister and she says it´s alright." Had she seriously just offered her house to Chuck Bass? Please say no. Please say no. she repeated mentally.

He got suddenly up and stalked quite quickly towards her, his face only two inches away from hers, locking eyes intensely with her. Was he pissed? "Fine, bring my suitcases and call a cab. I need a shower"

ii

"Home sweet home" Vanessa exclaimed in feigned exitation. Behind her Chuck was exploring the loft with a dessaproving look on his face. Though the loft was huge (twice the size of Dan´s) and the furniture occupied little space, the rest of the Abram´s residence was split into what Ruby and Vanessa liked to call creative spaces. Ruby´s was filled with sound equipment, her guitar and an old batery she didn´t use anymore but was to emotionally attached to so she refused to get rid of it. And Vanessa´s had a proffesional camera (she was still working to pay for), her computer and editing devices.

"What´s up with your walls, did a clown throw up all over them?" Vanessa ignored the contemp on his voice and dragged his heavy suitcases to the small semi-empty room both sisters used as an extra storage space. "Anarchy? You´re stuck in the sixties, just like your tv."

"My sister is responsable for the decoration and though your opinions are fascinating I really need to have lunch and get ready for my short´s premiere tonight." She walked over to the kitchen, with Chuck and his comments following not so far behind her.

Vanessa served Chuck a plate of the frozen lasagna she had cooked on the microwave and resisted the urge to smirk at the look of indignity he shot her. "I´m not hungry anymore" He announced after pushing his plate away. "But I do feel like having a big cup of strong black coffe."

"Make it yourself, our maid took the day off." She informed Chuck sarcastically.

Vanessa finished her meal and entertained the fantasy of having Chuck wash the dishes. That, she thought, would be a signal of the apocalypse.

"Damn!" he yelled, and Vanessa saw he had spilled boiling water on his left hand, she approached him to get a better look, his skin had taken an angry crimson shade and when she put a pack of ice over his burnt hand he winced. "I´m sorry, does it hurt?" she asked unable to help feeling concerned.

"No, it feels fantastic" He said between clenched teeth "I was hoping you would burn my other hand you know, double the fun."

"You really make it hard to feel sorry for you." She said irritably.

"One of my many charms."

"Along with scheming, drinking and whoring right? You´re a real prize." Vanessa blurted without much thought, and before Chuck could respond she cut him off. "I´m enjoying this little war of ours but like I´ve already said I have a premiere to get to."

He snorted "where? The Brooklyn community center for film amateurs?"

She swallowed a rude retort in which she put his sexuality on doubt and instead answered like the mature girl she was trying to become "Nope, Martin Salem´s house." She didn´t expect him to know that Salem was a famous and well respected alternative director. The thought of Chuck Bass watching "The fury", an emotional thriller about the nature of beauty and destiny, was ridiculous.

"You´re blinding me with your succes. Down to important things, are there gonna be hot artsy and easy girls? Or just a bunch of old people beaming at an aging tree?"

"Bit of both. But most people just go for the open bar."

"I´m convinced, I´ll go with you." And with that said he left the kitchen, taking with him the ice pack.

"I didn´t invite you" Vanessa whispered but Chuck was out of earshot. And a quick glance at her watch told her she only had two hours to get ready. She sighned, silently praying to make a good impresion on the judges.

iii

It was a good choice, she rarely used dresses but a loose black dress jenny had made for her matched with the concept of her short. Maybe if she was fast enough she could leave without Chuck. She tip toed her way out of her room, shoes in hand.

She was three steps away from the door.

Two steps.

Her hand on the doorknob.

A loud knock startled her, and she cursed. Had Ruby forgotten her keys?

Anyway it was all ruined, surely Chuck had heard her voice and would come out any second. So much for stealth.

Whoever was on the other side of the door would get a piece of her mind, and god saved them if they were mormons.

She opened the door with too much energy, "What?" she was too pissed to care about being rude.

"Dan..." All the anger drained from her leaving her weak and unsure. Should she slam the door on his face? Should she forget about his negligent treatment? "It´s wonderful, you came!" Her mouth, it seemed had decided to dissconect from her brain and all reasoning.

Dan arched an eyebrow and looked away, he was feeling guilty. She knew. Vanessa had always known how to read her best friend. "I only dropped by to wish you luck before the contest. I have this really important thing with Serena, I can´t fail her I´m sorry."

_But you can fail me, nice to know what all those years of unconditional friendship mean to you._

"Oh, nah It´s ok, I don´t mind." Vanessa lied, and the look on his face told her he knew it. It also said _I wished you didn´t care._

"I´ll make it up to you, I promise. Next friday we´ll spend the day together." Her heart leapt in joy and she tried to hide her exitement.

"Agreed, Humphrey. Umm... Bye, Serena must be waiting."

He nodded and there was an awkward silence in which Dan just stared at her. She looked away, not masochist enough to want to know whatever Dan was to scared to say to her face. _I don´t care about you anymore._

He left and she realized her vision had blurred. A quick look at the mirror showed her the source, as a few teardrops fell al the way from her eyes to her chin.

Great, her makeup was ruined.

"I´m ready, Let´s go get some action." Chuck´s voice came from the bathroom.

"In a minute" She shouted, making her way speedily to her room.

Half and an hour of a sulking Chuck ("public transportation is beneath me") and a subway trip later both arrived on time to the event.

Chuck flirted with trashy looking artists wannabe and Vanessa had a heated debate about the declining quality of national movies.

Time flyed by and before she could assimilate it, her short was about to be proyected.

In front of impotant directors, well-known actors and the very acclaimed Martin Salem.

Her hands were shaking, and for the first time since she had lifted a camera at the age of six and recorded herself and Dan playing hide and seek, did Vanessa doubt her talent.

What if she sucked?

What if everyone ended up leaving before the short ended or worse what if people fell sleep?

_Why aren´t you here Dan?_

A soft yet cold hand took hold of her own shaking right hand, she looked at the source of comfort.

It was Chuck.

She relaxed and allowed herself to enjoy the product of her hard work.

People clapped and congratulated her. Even Martin Salem had said he was too stunned by the beauty of her concept to worship it the way it deserved to be worshipped.

Vanessa´s short was a succes.

She was offered different projects and a guy named Maurice Muffington talked to her about a Yale scholarship.

The night turned out to be one of the most amazing, beautiful and important of her life. She had fantasized about a night like this so many times. Though none of those fantasies had included Chuck Bass.

He surprisingly had been one of the firsts to praise her work. Though she believed he only said it out of politeness.

It wasn´t until they reached the loft that she dared to ask. "Did you really like it?"

"Does it matter?, everyone there was practically drooling after your short. Thay surely know more about cinema that I´ll ever care to find out."

"Just answer. Please" Vanessa insisted.

"If It´s so important to you." He sighned loudly "I didn´t like it, I loved it. You managed to create a piece of poetry by using non-verbal language. And the end in black and white was just perfect. It was really touching."

Vanessa smiled broadly "Thanks" and then proceeded to break into graceful fit of laughter. "I touched Chuck Bass´s heart. I´m so making me a t-shirt that says it."

"Shut up, I´m going to bed, if you can call that thing a bed." He was about to get up but Vanessa wasn´t ready to be alone. Wasn´t ready to let the magic of the night slip away from her.

"Don´t go..ummm there`s scotch" she offered hesitantly.

Chuck Bass wasn´t Dan Humphrey, but he was all she had at the moment and she would make the most of it.

They talked a lot, first about her short then about how the speakeasy was going to be great. Two sixpacks later they were talking about brittish punk bands and what had been the most fucked up thing they´d done while under the influence of alcohol. Chuck admitted have´d slept with a girl that ended up being Kati Farka´s mother and Vanessa told for the first time about how she and her Vermont friends had vandalized a Micky the Mousse statue by throwing panties and bras all over it.

Then they proceeded to play thuth or dare and Vanessa was sure her ribs were permanently damaged after Chuck Bass danced rather uncoordinatedly to the song Testosterone by Bush on top of the living table.

That song would never bring anything but laughter from her.

"Now´s your turn. Truth or dare." Chuck asked, half slurring half whispering. Vanessa realized he was one of those drunks that gets intense instead of annoying.

"Thruth"

"Why aren´t you and Humphrey living your Brooklyn fairytale?"

Vanessa rubbed her eyes and scowled at the naughty smirk Chuck was displaying. And without much thinking she answered "He´s in love with Serena. And I´m in love with Dario Argento."

He ignored her answer,

"Why not fight for him, why are you leaving him to a shallow girl like S? They barely have anything in common. Once he gets tired of doing her he´ll come to you. I would, if I was him."

That was a topic that still stung, even in her inebrieted state, it was like swallowing needles. "As long as Serena makes him happy, I´ll stay away."

"That the reason you hooked up with Nate?" he asked quizically.

"I felt an attraction towards Nate because he reminded me of Serena." She laughed as Chuck smiled lazily and sighed while staring into space, obviously enjoying some sort of lesbian fantasy.

"Not like that, you pervert!" Vanessa explained "When Dan told me he was dating her I tried to find what made her interesting in his eyes, besides her obvious beauty. Because Serena and Blair are the kind of girls we used to make fun of, but the more I spent time with her the more I realized she wasn´t another bobble headed UES girl. She was aware of the deep flaws of her world and she tried to scape from it. So when Nate showed signs of having the same trouble dealing with your nice pretend world. I felt that maybe if Dan fell for Serena I could fall for him and watching my best friend joining lips with Serena Van Der Woodsen wouldn´t feel like swallowing tiny sharp objects. But It didn´t work out and I don´t think I like Nate that much, I sort of dated him to get over Dan ."

"Makes sense." He said while swirling his scotch.

"What about you and Blair? Weren´t you two in love?"

"I don´t know. What I´m certain of is that she doesn´t love me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, she knows Nate is my only friend and how much he means to me, if she loved me she would forget whatever game we were playing and she would tried to make us reconsile. I´m Chuck Bass, everyone who visits GG must know by now that my father disowned me, yet the only people who have offered help were Eric and you. And by the way, since I´m drunk and I will most likely forget about this tomorrow, I´m sorry for the play I pulled on you the other day and I´m really thankful that you took me in."

"You´re welcome. Mmm... I don´t mean to be pushy but, you should talk to Blair, really talk without insults or games. Think about what you are missing if she does love you back."

"I already told you, I´m not sure I love her."

"Do you think about her all the time?"

"Yes"

"Do you hate the idea of her having sex with another guy?"

"I would destroy him" Chuck assured her darkly.

"Do you want her to be happy, even if her happiness isn´t by your side?"

"Bass men don´t love like that."

"Well, I´d love to give you an advice or something but..." She yawned " I´m too tired to think anymore. We´ll continue tomorow."

"Don´t go, come here." Chuck patted the couch seat next to where he was now laying comfortably. Vanessa to drunk to see anything wrong with sleeping next to Chuck Bass, a guy she barely knew and that had previously abused of her trust in order to humiliatte her, just shrugged and cuddled next to him. Enjoying in a very self destructive way the smell of cheap beer and twelve year old scotch that pefumed his clothes.

Both fell sleep promtly, unknowing that it was eight o´clock in the morning and that Blair Waldorf was on her way to the loft.

* * *

**Author`s Note: I`d love to read whether you like this story or not. Be kind and leave a review.**


	2. Scotch and Winter

Title:Water

Author: Luna/Nobuko89

Pairing/Character(s):Chuck/Vanessa

Spoilers: Season one and two

Summary: Chuck is temporaly disowned and moves in with Vanessa.

Disclaimer: I own nothing though I wish I owned Ed Westwick.

**Chapter two: Scotch and Winter**

**i**

Chuck woke up alone and hung over, though the second he was used to, but waking up on his own always made him edgy and restless, and that drained sensation that overtook him, the one that made his chest tight in an uncomfortable way that had nothing to do with him not getting laid for over four weeks. Not at all, Chuck´s preference for a warm body next to his when he slept was more than just a rich spoiled boy´s whim, it was a need. Had always been a need, since Chuck could remember, sleeping on his own was to frightening to even consider. Maybe it had something to do with the lack of motherly love in his life, that he paid girls (Brunettes, blonds, redheads, twins, the list could just go on and on), blackmail and even lured them into his bed, even if they didn´t necessarily had sex. Chuck only relaxed and was able to fall sleep with the background sound of the strange (or not) girl´s soft breaths. The only lullaby he had ever known.

So, if he was alone...

Where had homo-Humphrey´s friend left to?

Ah... true, poor people needed to work, he remembered vaguely before a series of strong yet pausated knocks called his attention.

Chuck opened the door, expecting Vanessa but not dissapointed at all when a prim Blair Waldorf stormed into the loft. Her chiseled jaw and determined expression made it clear she was mad.

Good.

Because mad Blair was beautiful, desperate and so much fun Chuck was already willing to take on whatever game Blair would offer.

**ii**

Vanessa sat down too grumpy to be impressed by the incredible view that Bart Bass´s office had. Sure that if her headache failed to kill her then the person sitting in front of her and sipping casually his coffee would. "So, Mr. Bass what is it you wanted so urgently to talk about?" She played dumb, suppresing the need to smile. Heaven bless Dan! Who would have thought all those times he had pestered Vanessa into reading those dumb poor girl/rich boy novels (though only with the intention of making fun of them later) would prepare her to deal with a stone faced Mr. Bass. He was probably hiding his horror at the possibility of his only son spending the night in a Brooklyn loft, and god forbid if anything but silk or satin touched the younger Bass´s skin.

Rich people were so ridiculous. Her head throbbed and a shock of pain forced her to close her eyes as she awaited Bart Bass´s answer.

"I´ve been informed that my son´s staying with you. I have a favor to ask from you. In fact this could benefit you greatly since I intend on rewarding your efforts."

Oh, here came the part where the wealthy dady tried to bribe the "commoner" girl into leaving his son alone. This seemed like the cliche kind of movie scene she would erase if she was the director. The one when the girl left in tears.

"You don´t need to offer money in exchange Mr. Bass. As long as you accept Chuck back or at least support him financially I´ll be more than pleased to kick him out of my house."

"Interesting." Breathy voiced monosyllabic misterious answers were in the Bass genes, it seemed.

"So we´re agreed?"

"No, because you see, I don´t want my son to leave your home just yet."

"So... let me guess, you want me to humiliate him or maybe sabotage his bar so he fails and comes back to you defeated." She feigned a smile

"Creative" Bart said not one bit indignied.

"I know Blair Waldorf, and I´ve witnessed enough of her´s and Chuck´s evil plans which have ended up on ruining reputations, tormenting a fifteen year old and assaulting a dear friend of mine. So as a former victim of your son´s schemes I think I´m entitled to tell you than instead of punishing a selfless and smart dessicion you should support it."

"I disowned Chuck only so I could know for sure wheter he was willing to risk everything in order to follow his ideals and insctint. Like I once did. I want him to learn how to make things work without relaying in anyone but himself. That´s why I want him to keep on living with you, so through this extreme experience he can grow into a better and mature man."

"I´m not a tool and this behavior just serves to show what a sucky parent you are" Vanessa knew that maybe she was messing with the wrong man, Dan had told her to what lenghts Bart Bass was cappable of going. But the constant hammering in her head just fueled her anger at her powerlessness (again) in a UES game.

"_you are pawn" _ Blair´s voice played in her head like depressing background music.

She wasn´t a pawn, she didn´t want to be anything. Not to people like them at least.

The man in front of her seemed unbashed by her recent critic.

Vanessa rubbed her eyes in an effort to get Blair´s voice and the hammering pain to fade from her head.

Not working, but the movement called Bart Bass´s attention and he finally snaped out of his living statue state.

The man´s searched Vanessa´s determinated expression and without his eyes leaving her face handed her a check. "That´s just the beggining. If you keep me well informed on my son´s whereabouts I´ll give you the triple."

Vanessa folded the check without looking at the numbers.

"Weekly." He added after she stood up silently.

Vanessa ripped the check into tiny bits that fell onto Bart Bass´s desk and oficine floor. "I don´t want or need your money. And Chuck? he will make that speakeasy work. Because he cares, because unlike you he´s got a concience and his word does count for something. And though I barely know him, only and absolutely in order to protect whatever delusional respect he has for you I won´t say a word about this to him. Goodbye Mr. Bass It was umpleasant to meet you and I hope we never see each other again" She left, Dan´s voice complaining in her head about UES negligent parents and the negative effect it had in their offsprings.

**iii**

"Mr. Bass, ummm may I ask what are you smiling about?"

"That girl that came today, she reminded me of Misty."

"Oh."

Lucy had been Bart Bass´s secretary for more than nine years, and she had never seen her boss smile so much. She restrained the curiosity to ask about the late Misty Bass, knowing such imprudence could cost her the job.

Her boss chuckled and kept that grin on his lips. Lucy´s back chilled with fear for that was not a pleasant sign, he looked in her opinion sinister.

**iv**

A chubby woman that Vanessa was sure she had seen before stopped her at the door of her building.

"You can´t go up. Miss Blair ordered to be alone while she and Mr. Bass have the talk" the woman said with a weird accent. Swedish maybe?

Blair, to say she hadn´t expected the vengeful brunnete to show up would be lying but Vanessa hadn´t certainly thought Blair would come this quick.

Thank god, if Bart´s paternal love had failed to solve Chuck´s home situation then Blair´s jelousy would.

She´d be Bass free in just a couple of minutes, they were probably packing. Vanessa smiled joyfully. And the throbbing pain dimished.

But her calm moment was short lived as an obviously enraged Blair Waldorf exited the building. Alone.

_Why? Why didn´t she take him?_

In a fair world Blair would understand Vanessa helping Chuck out was nothing but a selfless act of mercy towards another human being and she wouldn´t shoot Vanessa a glare that pretty much promised a slow and painful death. And of course Vanessa wouldn´t even think about smirking and enjoying the other girl´s anger.

Disgracefully it was an unfair world they lived in, one which would witness both females fall in love with the same man.

**v**

It was a pity Miss Blair who pictured her life as a movie and the girl who dreamed of making movies (Like Miss Jenny had once babbled about) had no knowledge of how much they had in common and disliked each other so much. Dorota thought, Miss Blair deserved a friend who was worth of trust and did not bring so much sadness into her life. But Dorota also knew that the dressing style of the brooklyn girl was what miss Blair would call "something even Britney Spears wouldn´t wear."

Dorota always hid her Britney records from Miss Blair.

"Dorota!" Miss Blair called from inside the limo where she was already making herself a cosmopolitan.

"How did things go with Mister Chuck?"

"Lots of screaming, mostly mine, but not in the pleasant way. He rejected my help, says he´s ok where he is. And... urgh! He makes me so mad." Miss Blair´s eyes took that crystal quality that a long time a go, when things were simpler, would only have taken Breakfast at Tiffany`s and a visit from Mister Archibald to get rid of. "Why is this happening to me Dorota? What could I have possibly done in my last lifetime to deserve being deserted by my friends and Serena won´t return any of my calls. I forgave her when she slept with Nate. And she gets mad for what? A silly dress she offered to me!." She was getting histerycal now. "The girls won´t talk to me and even Nelly Yuki turned agaisnt me. Nelly Yuki! I made her, if it wasn´t for me she´d be still weeping over that Brad guy. But figures they´d just run over to Serena because sunshine leaks from every orifice of her flawless body. Ugh, did that sound as gross as I think?"

"Yes, miss Blair,"

"You´re all I´ve got now Dorota, so you´re gonna help me."

Dorota shivered, Miss Blair´s eyes (no longer moisty) held that glint that signaled the beggining of one of her plans. "With what Miss Blair?"

Miss Blair smiled with dark mirth and Dorota feared the revelation of her task. "We´re going to steal that dress"

Whether if agreeing to help the young girl she had dearly raised was right or wrong. Dorota was far to attached to Miss Blair to leave her alone in her vendetta against Miss Serena. But one thing was for sure next time Miss Blair´s blond frienemy dropped by the penthouse Dorota would serve her non diet drinks.

vi

Vanessa found Chuck still in his saten pijamas looking so out of place reading what looked like a playboy magazine in the middle of her living room, that the sign pulled a grin from her lips. "Morning" she greeted and he answered by nodding his head slightly in her direction, his laid back attitude plus the casually elegance he mastered made Vanessa feel instantly uncool.

They had breakfast silently together. And once they were done, Vanessa feigned a cough to keep him from getting up and leaving, _this one´s on your honor Dan._

"You know, you ougth to help with the dishes. It´s the polite thing to do, besides I cooked."

"Cereal doesn´t require coction." He stated petulantly. But started to clear the table nonetheless.

**vii**

"Chuck bass is staying at your house?" Dan googled at her, in that cute way that never failed to make Vanessa smile.

"Umm.. did the part where I won an award and have been offered a scholarship slipped past you?"

"Sorry," he looked down ashamed, only to bolt his head up at her again "Really Chuck Bass?"

"Yes, Chuck Bass" She repeated for the ninth time in the whole night. They were eating pizza in Dan´s bedroom, both sitting on the floor, next to his bed. Like old times.

Dan tried, apparently, to talk again but Vanessa placed her palm against his mouth to silence him. "We´re not gonna spend the night talking about vicious, spoiled house guests of mine" She ordered and only took her hand away when he nodded in agreement.

The next two hours passed by in laughter and meaningless chat.

"I should head home" She said, her hair horrendolously out of place. The result of a wild pillow fight. Dan still trying to catch his breath, lifted a hand to call her attention. And said in between breaths. "Wait, stay. I mean you can´t just sleep in the same house that Chuck Bass."

"My place has more than one room, besides I think he´s been sleeping with Ruby."

"But, emm... Ruby´s a ... I mean she has a girlfriend."

"Yeah, and that hasn´t changed. When I asked she said it was a secret." Vanessa shrugged. She didn´t really care.

"Weird." Dan concluded.

"Whatever, It´s to late. Why don´t you stay over. I´ll braid your hair and you´ll do my nails. And Cedric can photograph us dancing in underwear." He offered, while gesticulating to the cabbage patch doll.

Vanessa bursted in fits of laughter.

Once both regained composture Dan announced "I think I know what you need."

Vanessa arched an eyebrow. Was he...

Stop it she scolded herself internally.

"Your hair´s all messy. It needs to be brushed." Gently he sat behind her on the bed and smoothed the curly locks of ´d always liked her curly hair, he remebered when he met her, on the playground an autumn evening. Her dark curls were unmistakable amongst the crowds of blond girls.

Before Vanessa to Dan, girls were mindless annoying beings that existed with the solely purposse of being avoided.

But that Autumn evening...

He´d been avoiding the big groups of girls that were running dumbly around. And his eye caught a tiny figure that was staring up to a big three. How he´d reached her, he didnt remember. But when she turned around and those big cristal eyes met his.

He knew.

Even at that young age. He´d thought, she´s the one I wanna marry.

And he´d had everything planned. They´d grow up, fall in love, travel the world and be together. He´d loved her since the moment their eyes clashed to each other, binding their lives forever. Or so he thought

Until she broke his heart and betrayed his trust.

"This is a excuse to just play with my hair, isn´t it?" Vanessa´s voice pulled Dan out of his reminescense. Making him suddenly aware of their closeness, of the coconut scent that came from her hair and neck.

He knew she was smiling.

Dan didn´t have the chance to answer and in that moment Jenny bursted into his room.

"Oh, my god, oh my god." She repeated exitedly, a wide smile plastered in her face.

"What happened?" asked Dan, secretly grateful for the interruption because the memories and the moment itself had been turning torturous.

"Blair stole back Serena´s dress."

"What´s the deal with that dress?" Vanessa asked slightly irritated.

Jenny gaped at her, shocked, and Vanessa lamented fully how shallow had the UES turned Jenny.

"It´s not any dress. It´s a Marc Jacobs one of a kind dress. He made it inspired in movie legend Audrey Hepburn. It was sold to the best bidder. But the japanese man who bought it...

"Why would a man buy a dress?" Dan inquired. Jenny shot him a look and Vanessa grinned.

Jenny continued. "Anyway, the man who bought it decided to give it to the best looking and charming NY young woman. And guess who won?"

"Let me think, I know I read this on your diary."

"Shut up, Dan."

"Poppy Lifton" She revealed, eyes wide.

She looked at Vanessa like she expected the curly haired girl to know who the hell Poppy Lifton was.

"But!" There was more? "Poppy had a severe hospital condition."

Dan drew closer to Vanessa and whispered. "They said it was ghonorrea" Vanessa shook in silent laughter.

"So she gave it to Serena. Who offered it to Blair but then had a change of mind and decided to keep the dress to herself. And Blair..." Was this ever going to end? "but Serena stole it back and now gossip girl reported Balir is in possetion of the dress. The ball is three weeks away. Anything could happen! There´s a bet going on regarding who´ll show up in the MJ dress. Isn´t this exiting." She said in a shrilly voice and then as her cell phone rang she squealed and left the room.

"I can barely wait to go" Dan said drily while feigning a yaw. "No, wait I´m not invited"

Vanessa threw a pillow at him.

**vii**

The following two weeks flew by and Vanessa saw very little if anything of Dan. He´d gotten back to his Serena´s shadow mode. It was for the better, she convinced herself mentally, she had to save money for her short and end the basic concept and script. Plus. she had to work.

So leaving aside the exitement of working in a new filming project, her life had become quite uninterestic.

At least living with Chuck had become easy. He turned out to be very civil and well behaved. There were though isolated situations in which he did things that left Vanessa either perplexed or (somehow) irritated. Like making breakfast for her, or trying to help her move heavy things, or the horribly awkward times he tried to make small conversation with her, I mean they had gotten along (to much for her comfort) the first night he´d moved in but that night Vanessa had been emotionally unstable and the alcohol had made her forget about who she was being friendly with.

So lately she just tried to avoid contact with him.

A small bowl of cherries was set in front of her, she looked up from her woking desk to find Chuck who said "Your sister sends them"

"Should I poison test them?" She joked, then got back to ordering some of Dan´s photos she was considering to include in her short. Vanessa knew for sure that she looked busy with papers and photos scattered in her desk and her head bowed while looking thoroughly at photos of Dan laughing, Dan pensive, etc.

She looked busy... So why was he still standing in front of her desk? _Just leave already._

She felt Chuck sitting next to her. "Didn´t know you were this obssesed."

"It´s a project I´m working on." She said shortly, her words slighly coloured by irritation.

"Every newcomer director needs an alias." Chuck commented casually.

_He´s bored, he spent all the cash he had in repairing that speakeasy. He only leaves the loft to supervise his inversion or hang out with a guy named Eric. And you ignoring him all the time? Not the nicest thing to do._ Vanessa remebered Ruby´s words and looked at Chuck, he still looked like the pompous moron she despised, still well kept and wearing those eccentric clothes. But his eyes gave away how miserable he truly felt.

She might as well give it a try. "Yeah, I haven´t thought about it yet. Any suggestion?"

"Well, you always stroked me as a Trixie."

Vanessa snorted. Still unsure of which photo to choose

"Trixie McChesty."

So much for symphaty. She finally glanced at him, "I´m trying to become a director not a porn star."

"Both are decent jobs"

A few minutes later he added "I always thought that if a grew up to be a porn star I´d rename myself Baron Hotcock Von Hugenstein." He said faking wistfulness..

Vanessa scoffed, "You wanted to be a porn star?"

"Doesn´t everyone?"

Vanessa tried to imagine a younger Dan wanting to be a porn star. And shook her head because that was just not something Dan would think. "It´s kind of inaccurate. The name I mean"

"How would you know?" Chuck asked defensively.

Vanessa bit back a giggle, "Because you´re not a baron."

A chuckle scaped his lips and then added crossly "I could buy that title if I wanted to."

Vanessa rolled her eyes while he made comments about how a Baron was way better than being a Duke or Lord.

She sank again in her work, nodding from time to time and grinning when he said something funny. She threw a paper ball at him when he referred to Dan as a moralist ass with an inferiority complex.

So when he got up, grabbed her arm and not ungently dragged her to Ruby´s room she was too tired too struggle.

Once there, he let go of her and pulled from under the bed a white box. "This is it." He informed, holding a clear blue dress.

"Mmmm...So you like dresses, good for you. I have a job to finn-"

"You said you´d try it on."

"I didn´t say that."

"You nodded and said sure." Oh, crap. She had said it. But at the time she hadn´t been paying attention. Chuck had a resolute look, arguing would lead nowhere she decided.

"Fine, I´ll try it." She said, snatching the dress from his hands. "Get out."

Once he left the room Vanessa put on the material was very rich and heavy and doubtless expensive. It felt cold against her skin and she did up the laces. Finally she straightened up and shook out her hair. "Done," she half yelled.

Chuck entered, he looked startled. "It suits you," he said.

"It´s not my style really" she said, unsure

"Just look at the mirror," he said, gesturing towards the vanity table next to the bed.

Vanessa went up to it and looked at herself. And blushed. She had never understood how girls like Blair Waldorf could spend so much money on clothes, but now she did. Money was no object if a dress could make you look like this. The beautiful heavy fabric reflected the light like water and the deep violet shade suited her skin color. The dress clung in all the right places and fitted so well Vanessa had to congratulate whoever had made it. Not that she cared. She twirled in front of the mirror and watched the skirt flare out.

"Wow," she laughed.

Chuck was sitting on the bed watching her. She could see him reflected in the mirror. And the intensity of his stare made her nervious. "Well, I tried it. Though I don´t think it´ll fit you. You have wide shoulders."

Chuck snorted with laughter. "It´s not for me. I borrowed it from Blair´s wardrobe."

Suddenly Vanessa wanted the dress off her. She looked again at the mirror, did Blair look this good in the dress?

"Why?"

"There´s a sort of war going on regarding this little Marc Jacobs dress. I want her to lose"

Vanessa groaned "Not the dress talk again. Jenny pestered me all day about it. Says I´m the only female figure she can talk to about this." And then registered Chuck´s words. "Why´d you want her to lose? Weren´t you... I mean Dan told me you fight a lot... But..." she sighned, this wasn´t her business. She didn´t care.

"She won´t acknowledge what we are but when she realizes I´m the only one who can give everything she wants. Then she´ll say it." He had this miserable look on his face that made Vanessa feel desperately sorry for him, but what could she say?

_He´s been through so much, you shouldn´t be so harsh with him._

Stupid Ruby.

Silence stretched unconfortably around them.

"If I learned anything this past years is that girl trouble can succesfully be solved with a coffe and a walk around the park." Vanessa offered, after all she needed a break.

"Fine." Said Chuck, eyes scanning her face.

"umm...let me get changed and we´ll be ready to go"

He nodded and exited the room.

Viii

"You could make an snow angel since you´re already on the floor." Vanessa´s voice from above Chuck´s head was harmonized with amusement.

"Funny," Chuck rolled over onto his back. He glanced at Vanessa who had ice crystals caught in her black curls and her gray eyes matched the frost blue winter sky.

"Yes, a lot." Vanessa laughed "I mean I´m surprised you haven´t got a fractured rib or something".

Chuck got up as gracefully as he could. "Park and coffe hasn´t made me forget how upset I am about Blair." Chuck held out a hand to Vanessa, who took it rather reluctanly. "Now, I choose where we´re going."

"Which is?"

"A surprise" he said in that tone and Vanessa fought the urge to laugh, as she had remembered one of Dan´s recent imitations of Chuck´s throaty voice.

They took a cab to the UES, where Christmass lights flashing emerald and garnet through the snow-spangled air

"Beautiful" Vanessa whispered.

"Yeah, no way to forget just how close Christmass is."

"Christmass" she groaned. "I haven´t bought any presents."

"Here it is." Chuck said, leadind her into a hotel she dimly remembered. After taking the lift to the tenth floor and Chuck slided a magnetic card to open the door.

A huge space opened up before them. It was an elegant room, all sparkling teak wood and dark oak and polished brass. A long bar ran across one wall, and behind it were shelves lined with row after row of liquor bottles: red Irish Gin, Italian wine, the best German beer. A tall glass vodka bottle the height of a man stood to one side of the bar and Chuck stared at Vanessa as she peered curiously around.

A tall woman stood behind the bar counter, wearing a shimmering silver top, and pouring a thin stream of pink liquid into a glass held by a fat bussiness man in an orange robe who sat cross-legged at the bar. As Vanessas´s eyes adjusted to the dimness she realized two things. One: that the bar was, aside from the bartender and a few waitresses, inhabited solely by men; there was not a girl to be seen. Two: that the girl behind the bar was not wearing a shimmer silver top after all; in fact, she was not wearing any top. She was clothed solely in her long glimmering wig and a pair of gold hotpants.

"Welcome to the cave," said Chuck indicating the bar with a sweep of his arm.

"What the hell" Vanessa exclaimed, taking a step back. "Why did you bring me to a men only bar?"

"Loosen up a little, Humphrey´s not around." said Chuck. He grabbed hold of the back of Vanessa´s coat and steered her firmly towards the bar. Finding an empty pair of stools next to the plump man with the pink cocktail, Vanessa sat down into a seat while Chuck leaned over the counter. "Beca" he said. "Drinks, over here."

The topless waitress turned around. "Charles!" she said, obviously pleased to see him. She hurried over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I haven´t seen you in ages. You´ve grown up so much"

Vanessa felt her patience wearing thin "How long have you been coming here"

"Believe it or not, my father used to conduct business deals here," said Chuck, accepting the barmaid´s kiss with the air of one to whom all homage is due. His eyes flicked expertly down the bar. "Right, then. One Scotch on the rocks," he said. "And..." He shot an analyzing look at Vanessa. "One Bloody Mary"

The bartending topless girl grinned. "Umbrella?"

"Sure. A violet one."

She winked at him. "Anything you want. And clever you, you got here before the show this time."

The show? thought Vanessa. Her eyes darted to the side and lit upon a small stage towards the shadowy end of the room. There were several tall poles set up on it, and far behind them was a small group of musicians. All men, as well. The one with the clarinet looked disturbingly like Rufus.

Dan had made her see enough bad movies to know what the poles were for. she slowly, disbelieveingly turned her head towards Chuck, who was rummaging in the pockets of his coat with an air of great unconcern. "Chuck" she said, restraining her anger "Is this a strip club?"

"Yup," said Chuck, and tossed a handful of cash on the counter. "That should hold us for a few rounds."

Vanessa tried to get off the tool but Chuck´s hand over hers stopped her. "Just a couple of toasts. I really need this." _I dont want to be on my own tonight._

Vanessa sighned, she felt twenty years older than when she had woken up in the morning. And nodded "Just one toast" She clarified.

"Did you say a toast?" The silver-haired barmaid was back with a scotch in one hand and a red drink in the other. She set them down in front of Vanessa and Chuck and smiled. "How about a toast to the best looking couple I´ve ever seen? She´s quite a catch Charles. Finally a girl who shares your love for alcohol and promiscuity. And she´s hot too" When the barmaid winked at her, Vanessa winked back.

Chuck looked taken aback by her reaction but instead of making a comment he just ordered more drinks.

**IX**

Vanessa with the help of a neighbor, carried an inconcious Chuck to Ruby´s bed.

"What happened?" inquired Runy who was finishing her make up, she had a performance tonight.

"He got drunk." Vanessa explained. Then thanked Greg, and the blush on the guy´s cheeks went unnoiced. Greg left and Vanessa sighed.

"So he passed out?" Said Ruby who found the situation funny.

"Actually, he was awake but then in the cab he started to call me Nanny Hammilton and got to affectionate so I had to hit him inconcious."

"Good," Said Ruby who didn´t really pay attention. And before she walked out the door added "I´m not coming until next week, so, I guess I`ll see you... Then "

Vanessa waved goodbye and then went to her own bedroom. She needed to rest.

**X**

The bed dipped low as another body got in Vanessas´s bed, but she was way too deep into slumber to notice.

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Next Chapter: Vanessa and Chuck Fight, Dan makes a choice and Nate has a brief appearence.

**Did you like this chapter? Then review! I`d love to read which part you liked the most.**


	3. Deceiver Of Fools

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It really motivated me to finish this chapter. I was beggining to think that no one was reading this story. **

**Water**

**Chapter Three: Deceiver of Fools**

Vanessa knew immediately that she wasn't the only one lying under her bed covers, the sunlight streaming through the open window. And it was freezing. She didn´t need to see the person that laid beside her to know that he was there. She could just tell by the way the mattress dipped lower on that side. That there was breathing.

And the unmistakeable smell of scotch.

_That Basstard._

Vanessa wanted to scream and perhaps kick him out of her bed. But found out that her throat refused to work, that the surprise she´d had as breakfast had rendered her speechless. And if anything Vanessa had always been practical so she looked around for something, anything. Because apparently her voice would not come back soon. She grabbed a pillow off her bed and chucked it onto his face.

The idiot let out a muffled groan.

And as sudden as it had left her voice returned. "What is wrong with you?!" she half shouted as she smacked him with the pillow two more times.

"What- what-"

"Get out." She ordered angrily. Pillow held high for menace support.

Chuck was blinking, frowning and un-frowning with the concentration of shaking himself into reality, and when he did instead of explaining why he had decided to invade her room, Chuck just hastily pushed the hair out of his eyes and mumbled "I´m thirsty" while dragging himself off the bed. Vanessa had to make an extra effort to keep herself from sending to hell all of her "no-violence" beliefs and just jump him and close her fingers around his snobby neck.

She closed her eyes and tried to picture a landscape, a green forest, Dan talking... anything. To calm herself down. Her voice came out clipped when she told Chuck "I´m trying very hard not to kill you." Inhale. Exhale. "Could you please tell me" Inhale. Relax. Exhale. Good. "What the hell are you doing in my bed?!" Okay, bad. BAD. Inhale, close your eyes. Exhale.

"Oh, That "He said with a damn nonchalance that made Vanessa cringe, outraged. "I didn´t notice at all." Then he yawned and stretched lazily.

When he noticed her death glare he whispered in that obnoxious tone of voice she and Dan knew to well "Don´t get all worked up over a simple honest mistake. Besides I did not lay a finger on you, flat chested girls have no effect on me."

Now he was just being repulsive, Vanessa rolled her eyes and pointed at the door with a finger. "Leave."

Chuck picked something from the floor and proceeded to walk out, then hesitantly turned around and tried to say something. But Vanessa cut in, tired yet irritated "Just leave!"

He stood there a few seconds more, expression unreadable. Vanessa immediately regretted her reaction but had no idea of how to take back her words.

He left and she threw herself back on her bed.

It smelled of alcohol and whatever fancy cologne he used. Vanessa groaned, now she had to wash her sheets.

* * *

Serena Van der Woodsen had everything girls her age and girls who doubled her age would kill to get, money, class and of course also the special kind of beauty that was a sort of armor against the world. Nothing could pierce it or extinguish it, but it held its possessor remote from the world. A detachment that would forever protect her.

And once upon a time, back when Chuck Bass dreamed of nothing more than her golden hair and never ending legs, she also had´d the attitude.

Nonetheless as she sat alone in her bedroom, cellphone ringing nonstop with the latest GG news, her beauty, class and money could not lift her spirit. Finally after a long time of just staring off into space Serena decided some champ would perhaps make her feel better.

Alcohol had made her happy in the past. Perhaps, she thought as she poured herself a glass, change doesn´t suit me that much.

It´s the law of equal exchange, Nelly Yuki would say if she saw Serena, for everything you have a price must be paid. Chuck would, to everyone´s shock, agree with Nelly. But as he entered the Van der Woodsen/Bass luxurious penthouse the last thing on his mind was Blair´s Asian minion. He had come to take the fifty thousand dollars that he had hidden inside a secret compartment under his bedroom´s persian carpet, he had done it so long ago up until now he hadn´t even thought about the cash under his feet.

"_There is no such thing as irreversible, just make sure you always have safe cash at hand."_

Looks like uncle Jack was right after all, Chuck thought as he neatly put the money into a suitcase. A grin broke his lips as he remembered more of uncle Jack´s advices.

A loud banging sound teared him away from his preteen memories. Half startled it was his dad, half hoping it was Eric or the house domestic employees, Chuck walked out of his room and into the living room. There an insanely giggling Serena had obviously fell down on her butt.

Chuck analyzed the situation before him. He could leave without his stepsister noticing (which would be the wiser choice if you asked Nelly Yuki, who had a thing for competence.) or he could have fun with his drunk sis, some well deserved entertainment.

With a smirk and his signature cat-like walk Chuck approached Serena. Having bad, bad, bad intentions all along.

* * *

"...and now Penelope forbade me from wearing pink and black because according to her ¨she´s considering on wearing it, sometime in the future¨, like she´s ever going to! She just wants to punish me for the whole Nate thing, like that was my fault." Jenny explained, exasperated.

"Well... If being around them is such a nuisance then just don´t see them anymore." Vanessa offered, eyes shooting to the door as a hurried Dan entered while struggling to keep the big pile of books he was carrying from falling.

Both girls rushed to help him, but he refused by mumbling tiredly "I got it" over and over again.

Jenny and Vanessa shared a look and hesitantly returned to their sits by the kitchen island. They talked a while about Jenny´s crush on Nate and Vanessa assured her best friend´s little sister that she was not jealous or mad at all about what had happened or would happen between Nate and her.

"It might as well be over, he hasn´t called me or anything. Maybe I scared him when..." Jenny didn´t end the sentence because a bloodshot eyed Dan had approached them.

"If my life keeps this rhythm I´ll develop a hunch back." He complaint, rubbing his neck and groaning.

"No one said senior year would be an easy battle." Vanessa said, patting her worn out friend on the back and handing him a cup of coffee. "And on the bright side hunches are becoming the new six pack." He laughed lightly amused. And Vanessa grinned back at him.

"Did Chuck Bass tell you this? Because let me assure you he´s not a trustworthy source of information"

Vanessa snorted, like she would believe anything that came out of the mouth of such a rich little moron. She was about to say that when she remembered, sighing and knowing there was no one else she would rather talk about this to, "Since we´re on the Chuck Bass subject, ummm... I think there´s something wrong with him."

"Something wrong with him? What is not wrong about him, that´s a more accurate question."

Vanessa grabbed a piece of toast and started buttering it, fast. A clear sign she was uncomfortable about something. A sign Dan recognized immediately. "What happened? Did he...did he try something?" Vanessa rolled her eyes, "If he did I´ll kill him and then dance above..."

"Dan!" Vanessa snapped, not so long before him getting all macho behavior on her would have been more than welcomed but at the moment it strangely irritated her. "do you want me to tell you or not?"

He had the grace of looking embarrassed, and with a mouth zipping gesture he dedicated all of his attention to Vanessa.

"It´s not that much of a big deal, well it was to me. But since it just happened this morning... and now that I think about it he was pretty wasted last night so it makes sense that he probably just got confused. Maybe I´m overreacting." She ranted nervously, and then caught Dan´s inquiring stare, and sighed. She was really helpless when it came to Dan Humphrey so she told him about the events that had taken place the day before.

Dan was alarmed to the point he got out of his chair so fast that he pushed Jenny, who had been sitting beside him sending a text message, out of her sit as well.

"You slept with Chuck Bass?" he asked, shocked.

"You wore the MJ dress?" Jenny chirped, smiling from ear to ear.

"Yes, and yes" Answered Vanessa, "But the dress is not the point here, me still having Chuck Bass as a house guest sent from hell and needing any kind of moral support you can offer so the next week doesn´t drive me to insanity. That would be the point of the story."

"Sorry, " Both Humphreys said. Then Dan, inevitable, shot up and explained "Look I know nothing happened, but you have to understand. He´s Chuck Bass. In the first place I don´t understand why you would take him in, really Vanessa, Bass?"

"He had nowhere to go and no money. I... you would have helped him too." Vanessa said back. Dan sighed, not wanting her to know that he wouldn´t have. He wouldn´t have moved a finger to help Chuck Bass. So instead he asked Jenny what was she so insanely giggling about.

"Vanessa Bass" Jenny said in between breathless fits of laughter. Dan goggled and coughed.

"I kind of like the sound of that." Vanessa added with a sadistic grin "Vanessa Bass."

Dan went paper-white and gaped at them. The girls continued to laugh.

"Girls, stop winding Dan up." Rufus´s amused voice came from behind them. "And Dan, I´m sure Chuck didn´t leave Vanessa´s room without several bruises. Right V?"

"He´s not mistaking bedrooms anymore." Vanessa assured them, though she locked eyes with Dan when she said that. And had Jenny been a less generous sister she´d have pointed out that Dan had pretty much looked jealous.

"Now, who´s in the mood for some Caneglones Capresse" Rufus offered jovially. The four of them had dinner, Dan tried to convince Vanessa of marathon-watch the back to the future trilogy while, annoyingly exited, Jenny told everyone about how awesome the Winter Storm ball would be.

Jenny and Rufus had gone to sleep, and after a while they had decided that instead of watching classics, they would sit on the fire scape stairs and have hot chocolate. Neither started a conversation and as the winter wind blew around them Dan started to tell a story, Vanessa knew to well, out loud.

When they were in elementary school he would spend all his time narrating stories about pirates and fairies to entertain the other kids. But when it was only the two of them he asked Vanessa for a title and he would start a story that had them both as the protagonists. The one he was telling at the moment was called "Swanheart", about princess Marigold, who fell victim of a deadly spell that turned her heart into a emerald that shattered into thousand of pieces, scattering across the thirteen existent universes. Turning the once kind and sweet princess into a harsh shell incapable of feeling who could barely remember Daniel, her faithful knight with whom she had been in love since childhood. Nothing can be done, the kingdom wizards say but the knight refuses to give up and decides to turn to the most feared of witches. Who gives him the means to travel across the planes of existence and also the information to track the princes´s feelings and memories. There´s a price to pay, though, the highest of prices. The knight must surrender the princess´s love to the witch. Even if the princess recovers her memories, loving him will be impossible.

Dan continued the story (his arm around her shoulder) while both shivered.

The story had two endings. The first was the one he used more, a typically "happily ever after" final, with a wedding and peace. In the second, he only used it to apply to contests, the princess regains everything she had lost but could not bring herself to care about the Knight.

So Vanessa stopped him, claiming to be "afraid to catch a cold", from delivering whatever ending he had chosen to give the story. She did not want to get whatever message Dan had hidden for her in the story.

"You should move on...forget me...I´m not that great... blah blah blah." If it was that easy then she would have already gotten over him, well that was a lie. Even if she could Vanessa would never choose to be in love with anyone but Daniel Humphrey.

"So... I should probably head home. I have to wake up early for work tomorrow." Vanessa said, as she grabbed her bag and headed to the loft´s door at an incredible speed.

"Should I take this as a ¨Dan I don´t like your stories anymore¨ ?"

"No," She hurried to deny. "It´s just I know that one by memory, I already know the ending."

"Maybe it has a new ending." At those words Vanessa stayed frozen in her place.

A change of topic was needed, she decided, God, why couldn´t he just let her leave?! "I thought you didn´t write fantasy anymore, what happened to getting a more realist angle of literature?"

Dan chuckled and sat down on the couch, reluctantly Vanessa followed. "Turns out my vision of realism is to boring for the Yale teachers. So, thinking it would do no damage for them to read my other works I gave them a couple of my old stories." A smile quirked a side of his lips "they love them! Swanheart specially. So, I guess I should thank you. You inspired that story, actually you inspired all of my stories."

"I always liked the ¨The Devil and the Deep Dark Ocean¨ better. I couldn´t sleep for over three days" she remembered.

"And my mother thought I was gay for two years straight because of that protection white flower crown you forced me to wear!"

Vanessa bursted in laughter "She used to corner me all the time to ask me, saying she was ok with that. That you could open up to them...oh... and the look in Rufus´s face!"

Dan suddenly got serious and shuddered "Don´t even remember me that! That´s a conversation I´ve spent the last four years trying to erase from my mind."

When the laughter passed, "It´s late." Vanessa pointed out again "I better take a cab"

"Wait,... mmm... I was thinking of writing something new. I´m going to need my muse"

"I´m sure Serena would love to help you." She said, successfully keeping her bitterness from staining her words.

"I meant you"

Vanessa arched a brow, confused.

"Didn´t Platon say ¨muses and romance are two different things¨?" Dan asked as he opened the door for her.

"He didn´t" At his faked sad face Vanessa grinned and gave in "But I guess I won´t mind some extra hanging out with you Humphrey."

Dan stopped a cab for her and before she got in Vanessa blurted "There´s heavy metal concert tomorrow. Ruby left me two tickets, maybe we could look for inspiration there. And the spiked haired angry teens will make us feel better about ourselves."

Dan smiled "It´s a deal, Abrams."

They exchanged goodbyes and for tenth time Dan made a comment about not being sure if she should sleep in a place all alone with Chuck Bass.

"Look I don´t like him either, but trust me when I tell you he is not a monster." Was the last thing she said before the cab drove to her loft.

* * *

"You´re a fucking monster Chuck!" Serena yelled fron the end of the hallway, even after two strong coffees she was still a violent and emotionally unstable drunk. "Get out of here!" And then she threw her empty cup of coffee at him. Luckily for Chuck he had quick reflexes.

And he left, a smirk on his lips all along. Mission accomplished, he had the money to make the speakesasy´s opening party legendary and also as a plus he had poisoned Serena´s mind against Blair.

Now the slightest of misunderstandings could catalyst an epic battle between them.

* * *

When Vanessa finally crossed the door to her home she was struck in her place by the sight of Chuck Bass legs crossed sitting on her couch, calmly perusing Jenny´s copy of "Seventeen" magazine.

She snorted, _seems he finally ran out of Playboys._

"Decent girls never arrive this late" He said when she walked past him.

"How would you know you´ve never met any" she said back, from the bathroom where she started to brush her teeth.

She exited the bathroom to find Chuck waiting by the door, without uttering a word he handed her a cup of hot chocolate, and then turned around and walked in direction to the kitchen. Taken aback Vanessa stood there blinking, the hot cup warming her hands, and followed him.

She sat in front of him at the kitchen table and sipped carefully her hot beverage. Chuck kept on reading the teen magazine.

"So, Learned anything from the magazine?" ventured Vanessa, the silence had started to creep her out.

Chuck put away the magazine and gave her an evaluating look. "Well according to this, Paris Hilton is the celebrity with most STDs on the last five years. Which makes me proud I turned her down last year in Greece."

"Anything less disgusting?" asked Vanessa.

"Loads of nonsense tips about how to get your crush to like you. And according to the personality quiz in page six I´m ¨not in a stage of my life where love should be a priority. It´s all about having sexy sweaty fun¨" he said dryly.

"Let me see that" Vanessa said, taking the magazine. She giggled. "It also says you´ll finally settle down for the cute and shy person who sits behind you in Math."

"Nathaniel sits behind me in Math." Chuck said darkly.

"How sweet" she mocked "You´ve been friends for so long, never even considering each other in that way and then... BOOM... love blossoms."

"I don´t think it´s a good idea. Everyone knows I´ll end up breaking his heart"

Despite herself, Vanessa laughed. And then yawned. "I´m going to bed." She said, getting up from her sit. "Goodnight Chuck," but she turned to him before heading to her room, doubting. "I don´t have to worry about you mistaking rooms again, right?"

"No, no mistakes tonight" he assured her. And Vanessa began to walk towards her room, and stopped suddenly in her tracks when he said: "Sneaking my way into your bed will be entirely on purpose."

"What?"

"You won´t even notice I´m there."And he had the freaking audacity to smirk. That Basstard.

"What? No...you´re ...no...why are you?...urgh, Stop smirking! Chuck is this some sort of Joke I don´t get because I´m too tired?"

Too damn calm for her comfort Chuck answered. "One, you´re not important enough to be lied to. And second..."

"Then what about your stupid scheme with Blair to humiliate me?" she couldn´t help to blurt out. Because even after all he had done to Dan. That time, she had trusted him, had believed in him.

And he had let her down.

"I never lied. I told you I´d save the speakeasy and I did. You never asked if Blair was involved."

"That just makes you a liar by omission of facts" she countered.

Chuck´s facial features hardened. "Fine" he said "Where was I before you interrupted me? Oh, yes... Second I suffer insomnia," he looked away "I can´t sleep unless I have company."

"I don´t believe you." And before he could argue she cut in "I don´t care you´re not sleeping in my bed."

"Okay, I´ll spend the night awake and tomorrow by the time I get to the speakeasy I ´ll be to tired to remember not to tell everyone that Humphrey has a barbie named Cedric"

Vanessa gaped at him. "How do you know about Cedric?" she demanded in a small voice.

Chuck just shrugged, and his eyes sparkled with the light of triumph.

He knew she would never purposely let Dan being made fun of.

"Fine, but we´ll do it my way. We´ll sleep in the living room, pillows in the middle and if you dare to lay a finger on me the Bass line will end with you." Vanessa warned.

Chuck nodded in agreement, and gave her a white package.

"The dress, why are you giving me this dress? I´m not trying it again if that´s what you..."

"It´s a gift" Chuck interrupted her, irritated.

"You´re really a piece of work, aren´t you? This isn´t yours to give away. This is Blair´s"

"Actually it´s Serena´s"

"But you took it from Blair." She insisted "You know what? I really don´t care. I don´t want it."

"Fine, Throw it away. It´s yours now after all." He said and got into the spontaneous big mattress they had brought to the living room.

"I´m giving it to Blair" she informed him, as he got under the covers.

"Fine by me. And by the way could you try not to speak on your sleep? It´s distracting."

"I do not speak in my..."

"Yes you do, you keep saying Dan, Dan over and over again. It´s a little sad if you ask me."

"Urgh, you´re unbelievable" she exclaimed, turning on her side as to not face him.

In the dark Vanessa pondered what had she done wrong to deserve sleeping with Chuck Bass, while beside her Chuck smirked and tried to figure out why hadn´t he left yet. He certainly had (now) the money to do so.

* * *

"So which one suits me best?" Dan asked, one black t-shirt in each hand. He lifted his right hand "A bleeding skull with a snake on the middle has it´s charm but I think the six six six in the back might be pushing it."

"Yeah, it´s a concert not a cult." Vanessa agreed absenmindedly as she made two capuchinos for a couple that kept sucking each other´s faces.

"Then the metallica shirt will have to do." He said, holding higher the t-shirt on his left hand. His cellphone rang, it was Jenny asking for him to help her repair her sewing machine. "I have to go..." he started but Vanessa held a hand up to stop him.

"Wait," she said, taking the package with the dress out of her bag. "Can you give this to Blair? I would but I have some errands to make before the concert." Said errands were in fact shopping for an outfit for the concert.

"The Marc Jacobs dress" Dan exclaimed in a whisper. "How..."

"Long boring story." Vanessa answered. "Just give it to Blair"

"It was Serena´s first" he cleared.

Vanessa sighned more than tired with the whole dress topic. "Whatever, give it to Serena." She snapped

Dan arched a brow, nor understanding her sudden bad mood.

Vanessa took a deep breath and just told Dan she had had a bad night.

* * *

Dan coughed, hoping to get Blair´s attention, who after seeing him walking into her penthouse had not spared him a second glance.

Even Dorota ignored his presence.

Finally tired, he walked towards Blair and poked her in the shoulder. She stiffened and stepped away but did not acknowledge his presence.

"Why are you pretending I´m not here?" he asked, irritated.

"Wishful thinking." Blair said nastily though at least she turned to face him.

"Whatever, I just came to deliver this." He said, putting the white package in her hands.

Blair first stood unmoving for a couple of minutes, bewildered. Then began to open the box and when she saw the dress she let out a little scream. "Dorota! I´ve got it. It´s perfect, every detail, the fabric, he captured Aubrey´s essence! It´s perfect Dorota!" she exclaimed, hopping up an down in excitement.

"You will look beautiful Miss Blair." Said Dorota with a wide smile.

Dan realized then that hey had gone back to ignore him. "You´re welcome" he said not really expecting Blair to leave the dress in Dorota´s hands and approach him.

She goggled at him "Why?"

Dan knew she had meant to ask _Why didn´t you give it to Serena?_. Even he could not fully understand. Maybe he decided Blair deserved it more because of all those times Jenny had mentioned the brunnete´s fixation with Hepburn´s work.

Maybe because Serena did not seem to care that much for the dress, or for anything else lately.

Maybe because Vanessa had wanted Blair to have it, or because he knew Serena could easily become the center of attention no matter what she wore. And he knew what it was like to stand on the sidelines feeling invisible. He understood Blair´s need for some spotlight.

Dan did not tell Blair any of his reasons. Instead he just shrugged and made his way to the elevator doors.

Before he reached the hallway Blair´s voice caught up to him. "I won´t forget this, Humphrey." He turned around and saw her smiling from ear to ear.

Dan did not regret his decision.

"And neither will I." It was Serena.

She had, apparently, listened to the whole conversation from inside the elevator. Dan tried to get close to her and explain but she pushed him rather harshly.

The metallic doors closed and the blonde was out of view.

"You should run after her. I think she´s been drinking" Blair advised him.

Dan nodded and took the stairs. By the time he left the building, Serena had already gotten into her limo.

Cursing and starting to feel guilty Dan took out his cell phone and decided to cancel his plans with Vanessa. This was urgent.

* * *

"...don´t worry Dan, it´s fine. Okay, yeah--- bye." Vanessa stared at the mirror. She had dressed up for a guy who would never see her as anything else than a friend. Leather trousers, a black and red corset... was she really that desperate to get Dan´s attention?

Great, now she felt worse.

To make matters more hellish Chuck had just entered. "Going somewhere?"

Vanessa gave him a long evaluating look, considering whether it was a good idea or not. "I was about to leave to a Metal concert, do you want to join me?"

"Sure" he said shortly. "let me get changed."

"Wait," Vanessa said, "May I make a suggestion?"

Chuck raised an eyebrow.

"Do not wear one of your eccentric suits, just put on a pair of jeans" _do you even own jeans? _"and something black."

Scanning her outfit with his eyes Chuck turned around and went to change his clothes.

WOW.

Vanessa gasped, astonished. She had never thought of Chuck Bass as bad looking but she also had never considered him handsome.

He was wearing dark ripped jeans and a black t-shirt that had only a sleeve. Showing off his left muscled arm.

Vanessa would never admit it out loud but he looked kind of (sort of) hot.

"Do I have something on me? You keep staring." Chuck mocked.

"Yes, a normal guy disguise." Vanessa replied with a laugh. "We should get going, the subway station is three blocks away."

"We´re not going in public transportation." Chuck said firmly. "My limo is waiting outside."

"Whatever" Vanessa agreed, not realizing that if he had the money to pay himself a limousine that he must also have the money to leave her loft. **The thing with people like Vanessa, they´re to trusting. Sadly for her that would be the reason why she wouldn´t stop Chuck Bass from ruining her life.**

Vanessa sighed, "Okay, whatever. Let´s just go" After all, she only wanted loud music, a cold beer and to raise a little her selfsteem when a guy asked her out.

Chuck Bass had attended, in the past, rock concerts. But always with a VIP treatment, and with a pair of twins at each side he never really got the whole experience.

Not the way he was getting it at the moment. The music was so loud he had yell to get Vanessa´s attention. The crowd pushed each other, jumping and singing along with the long haired singer on stage.

It was like sinking in a big mass of bodies, taking a hold of Vanessa´s hand so she wouldn´t disappear in the crowd. She jumped and raised her arm at the same pace with the rest of audience.

Chuck imitated her reactions as to fit in.

By the last song, Chuck was sweating horribly, just like Vanessa, who was trying to regain her natural breathe rhythm.

They dragged themselves back into Chuck´s limo. Both smiling and feeling the adrenaline setting in.

Only after they arrived, took turns taking showers and changed into their respectives pajamas, did Vanessa spoke. "You´re unbelievable! They totally bought it." She said, referring to the backstage guys Chuck had convinced into letting them get backstage. Though only the drummer had been there, he had given her his autograph.

"Yeah, I´m amazing I know."

"Big head much?" She said stepping in front of the couch, where he was sitting. "I´m not feeling sleepy. What do you say if in the spirit of Heavy Metal we watch a movie?"

"Is this the part where you show me your creepy Steven Spielberg altar and movie collection."

"No, I enjoy his work but Kim Ki Duk is my favorite director. Though this movie" she said while opening a dvd case and inserting it in the dvd player. "is from Johnnie To. It´s called Full Time Killer."

"Sounds promising."

"It is. Lots of blood, vengeance and a pretty girl."

Chuck had to admit the Japanese movie was an interesting watch, two professional killers who fell in love with the same woman. It sounded cheesy but still had very bloody action scenes.

"The snoopy scene rules." Vanessa commented, nudging him in the ribs gently.

Chuck grinned and spared her a sidelong glare, a smile quirking the side of his mouth.

* * *

So they had been hanging out the last two days. And yes Vanessa had finally admitted to herself that she sort of kind of enjoyed Chuck´s company. But that was only because Ruby wasn´t around and Dan was too busy with a school test he had to study for.

It didn´t matter if she had gotten used to his presence anyway. The speakeasy would open its doors that same night and by the end of the party Chuck would be out of her loft and her life.

Vanessa was okay with that, not happy or sad, just okay. To be dishonest with herself, she didn´t care.

* * *

"You´ve done an awesome job in this place" Nate congratulated Chuck. Who was behind the bar table of his speakeasy.

"Nathaniel" Chuck greeted in a clipped voice. "What brings you to Brooklyn?"

"I came to apologize to a friend, and to offer him my help" Nate said honestly.

_You´re three weeks late_ Chuck wanted to say but couldn´t. Instead with a broad grin he offered Nate a glass of champagne. "Should I then hope you´ll ditch the Winter Storm ball and come to my party instead?"

"Of course" Assured Nate with a smile. "That´d be the best since I´m avoiding Jenny until she gets the message."

"Have you been getting it on with Humphrey´s sister? Nathaniel, I´m impressed."

"Not really, just you know I was bored. But then she fell under the delusion that I was her prince charming in shiny armani, if you get my meaning."

"Oh, poor you. See this is why I prefer scorts. Less expectations more fun." Chuck said and took a sip of his own glass.

They were chatting quite amicably when Vanessa walked up to them. "Chuck I need you to check this list" she said, putting in his hands a paper sheet with the names of the brands of liquors he had ordered.

"Everything´s right" he told her. Vanessa folded the paper and put it in her pocket.

"I´m going to the coffee shop to get lattes for the girls, you want anything?" she asked kindly.

"No, thanks." Chuck said then caught Nate´s wink at him.

"I do feel like having a cappuccino . Do you mind if I walk you there Miss Abrams?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes at Nate and shrugged.

"Be right back man." Nate said before he exited the speakeasy with Vanessa.

_And people say I´m the womanizer_, Chuck thought and ignored the strange sensation that tugged at him. A sensation he could not name.

* * *

"So Mia says you know where Vanessa is, I´m looking for her." Dan said to Chuck, trying to sound mature and unaffected by the fact that he had to recur to Chuck freaking Bass to locate his best friend. Well, he was also really pissed because of his fight with Serena.

"I don´t think she wants to see you" Chuck told him with the intention of bothering him.

Predictably, Humphrey took the bait. He instantly let out a tense sigh. "Well, I don´t care about what you think. I just want to know where my friend is." He said in a clipped tone.

"And you won´t get that information from me. Which leaves us in a sort of dilemma right?" Chuck replied coolly with a smirk.

"Whatever. I´ll just stop by her place later." Said Dan who really could not stand Chuck. Then he just openly fixed Chuck with an analyzing glare.

"I know what you´re thinking" he informed, in a deadly serious tone.

Chuck raised an eyebrow politely at Dan "And that would be?"

"You think that because she let you stay in her place and is nice to you, she likes you or that you know her? You don´t. She´s only coping with you because she felt sorry for you. It´s the way Vanessa is, always trying to help. But she isn´t stupid she knows very well who you are.... And... And she can´t stand you." He ended, childishly.

Chuck pretended to yawn, and turned his back on Dan. Who after a few minutes exited the bar.

"Could you tell me what is so funny?" he snapped to the redhead who had been giggling nonstop for the last fifteen minutes.

"Someone wrote ¨Kiss me I´m rich¨ on your back" the girl said in a muffled voice.

"Humphrey" he accused.

"Actually it was Vanessa." An asian boy told him. "she did it after you implied that Dan Humphrey played with dolls and had a suspicious sexual orientation. You two are a weird couple, she´s cute so I guess it makes it all right for her to be crazy."

"We are not dating" he said to the boy, "now shut it and clean the back of my shirt Joe."

"It´s John."

"Do you think I care?" Chuck said sharply.

* * *

"Mia said she saw you arguing with Dan at the speakeasy." Vanessa told Chuck, from the inside of her bedroom where she was getting ready for Chuck´s party.

He said something back but she couldn´t hear it, so she stepped out of her bedroom and was left breathless for a few seconds.

Chuck was already dressed, in an eccentric suit that made him look more like the Chuck she despised and less like the guy she had kind of begun to befriend.

His dark eyes flicked to her and she said the first rational thing that came to mind "Will the immaturity contest between you two ever be over?"

"I don´t think that´s an option." Chuck answered.

Vanessa swallowed a groan. "Why can´t you just..." she paused. "Be a man, ignore him."

"I am a man," he said, slitting his eyes like a cat in the sun, "but since I can´t face my inner demons I take it out on other people."

"Oh, Shut up." Said Vanessa, but she smiled.

Together, they exited the building and got into the limo, in direction to the party.

* * *

Chuck had honored his promise. He had indeed returned the speakeasy to it´s old extravagant glory.

Every detail since the elegant wood walls to the beautiful themed dressed waitresses had a special touch of Chuck´s style. Vanessa wondered whether it was bad that she had noticed that.

"I´m impressed, you´ve done an impressive work here Chuck." She told him. The blonde he had on his arm, rolled her eyes at her and tried to drag Chuck to the other side of the bar but he sent her away. Asking Vanessa to follow him to the terrace, there was something he wanted to talk about he said.

His face in the moonlight was dark, lined with silver shadows, "you know that tonight I´ll move out of your loft." He said.

"Yeah, finally." Vanessa joked, looking at him in that moment had a strange effect on her, that made everything else in the world seem not quite real.

"Well I was wondering if I could, as an expression of gratitude, buy it."

She gasped, but still he kept on. "You would still live there and be the owner. But I´d become the financial owner. Meaning that your expenses would be paid by my economical manager. However in exchange I would demand to be allowed to spend some time in the loft."

"What?" she said, outraged.

He became deeply interested in his shoelace. "It would benefit us both. Sometimes I need a place to crash you know."

"What?!" she said, louder this time.

"Ok, forget it." He said quickly. "I just thought it would be a nice friendly gesture."

But Vanessa who was livid with fury could not brush off the topic that easily. "I´m not something you can buy and we certainly are not and could never be friends!" she yelled quite harshly.

Reacting just like the time she had purpuselly kicked his shin, Chuck stormed off.

Vanessa stood alone in the terrace for a while, believing that maybe at any point triumph or a sense of righteousness would hit her. Instead she just felt guilty.

It was just her luck that on her way out of the speakeasy (having decided to wait for Chuck by his limo) she bumped into a familiar pair of green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Ruby.

"Oh, I arrived this evening. Just in time for Chuck´s party."

"Did you see where he went?" Vanessa asked heatedly.

"Yes, but I´m not sure I should tell you, I think you´ve yelled at him enough."

Vanessa sighed, "If you knew what he proposed to me..." she started.

"I do know. I heard because I was making out with Emily in the room next to the terrace. And yes, he said a bunch of stupid stuff but that´s not the point here."

"Then what it is?" Vanessa asked flatly.

"The why, that´s the axis of the matter. Which I think is my duty to reveal to you because you´re too stubborn to even try to figure it out. Chuck was not trying to offend you, he was just trying to win you over the only way he knows how. Purchasing you, and in case you wonder why, well you´ll have to accept that he likes you, I mean sure, he´ll jab at you and he´ll try to unsettle you and part of that is because he doesn´t even really understand how he feels about you, only that you mean something to him, but he doesn´t know what. It doesn´t fit into any recognizable category of experience for him. He´s never really had a female friend whose good opinion he´d have to exert any effort to keep. He doesn´t know how to act towards you. So he falls back on being sarcastic, or nasty, and then when he is kind, you don´t trust that kindness, and you throw it back at him. Come to think of it, he´s actually pretty patient with you."

"That´s not... How did you notice all this?" Vanessa asked, perplexed.

"I merely observed. I mean really all those times he helped you with the editing of your work and you two watching movies, not counting that time you had a paper ball war."

"I had never... "

"considered him a friend?" Ruby cut in. "Because he even stopped using those crocodile suitcases after you gave him that two hours long lecture about animal rights."

"Hell how do I fix this?" she asked, feeling like a small child who had just done something very stupid.

"It´s up to you really, you´re the one with the advantage over him, V. You´ve had friends. You know how to treat them. He doesn´t. He just reacts instinctively. If you treat him like a friend, he´ll be the best friend you ever had. And if you treat him like your worst enemy, then that´s what he´ll be."

"I guess, I´ll go look for him. God, Ruby what would I do without you?" she said before running to the door, determined to look for Chuck.

"Spontaneous combustation comes to mind" Ruby said softly.

* * *

That`s the end of chapter three folks, it was supposed to be a little longer but I have an important test coming up and little time to study. I`ll try to update as soon as I can. Oh and Christmas WILL arrive in chapter five.

Next Chapter: Chuck`s birthday present, an evil cunning plan that is not Blair`s and Serena in a coconut bra.

**I`d love to hear which part of the chapter you liked more, so be kind and leave a review**.


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